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Cenchrus Ciliaris) on Airlie Island, Pilbara Coast, Western Australia

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Cenchrus Ciliaris) on Airlie Island, Pilbara Coast, Western Australia Eradication of buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) on Airlie Island, Pilbara Coast, Western Australia I. R. Dixon, K. W. Dixon, and M. Barrett Kings Park and Botanic Garden, West Perth, Western Australia, 6005. Abstract The aims of this project, now into the second year of the implementation phase, are to eradicate buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) from the 25 ha Airlie Island off the Pilbara Coast, to develop and implement methods to restore the indigenous vegetation, and to collect and store seed for future restoration works. The most effective herbicides trialed under these conditions were Roundup Biactive 8 l/ha and Verdict 6 l/ha. Extensive field trials indicated the main perennial shrubby species on the island (Acacia bivenosa, A. coriacea and Rhagodia preissii) are resistant to Roundup Biactive and Verdict. With the exception of native grasses, these herbicides had no adverse effect on other indigenous plant species. Initial blanket and spot spraying with Roundup to kill the parent plants followed by blanket spraying, avoiding native grasses, with Verdict, is the most cost-effective regimen for control. A temporary (three years) water pipe for filling battery operated 250 l spraying units was installed across the centre of the buffel populations. Hoses 60 m long with hand held lances were used to apply herbicide. Four operators with two units can spray about two hectares each day. The best time for spraying is six weeks after heavy rain when the parent plants are actively growing and the new seedlings have grown sufficiently to spray. Spraying too early misses most of the seedlings; too late and the seedlings as well as the parent plants are seeding or too senesced to respond to the herbicide. The window of opportu- nity for spraying under these conditions is therefore only two weeks. Results of the spraying on Airlie Island indicate that 98% of the original stands of buffel grass has been controlled. Replanting with greenstock is preferable after heavy rainfall, the main shrubby species planted after spraying with Roundup can then be oversprayed, when required, with Verdict. Greenstock survival rates vary considerably between 5% and 90%, and are entirely dependent on follow-up rainfall. Two to four sprays a year, depending on rainfall events, are required for a period of at least three years (estimated age of soil seed bank) to control this weed with follow up monitoring and backpack spot spraying or hand removal. Eulalia aurea, a perennial dominant native grass, is best planted at the conclusion of the three year spraying programme to avoid spray damage and for ease of operations to control buffel grass. Keywords buffel grass control; herbicide; restoration; marine. INTRODUCTION Buffel grass favours alkaline soils (Christy and Moorby 1975; Griffin 1993). Within the arid zone it establishes Buffel grass in Australia best on areas of higher nutrients and moisture, especially creeklines and floodways. Buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) is a perennial grass native to Africa, the Middle East and southern Asia. It was first There are several buffel grass varieties in Australia, each introduced to Australia in the packsaddles of Afghan camel with different growth habits and requirements. Seed dor- drivers (Bryant 1962) and was later used by the pastoral mancy and germination characteristics may also be vari- industry for erosion control and as a pasture supplement able between or even within varieties. The varieties biloela, throughout the Pilbara and Kimberley regions of Western gayndah and others are African in origin and are widely Australia. This grass has also established on a number of favoured as pasture feed in Queensland. The Western Aus- islands off the Pilbara coast, including Airlie Island. tralian (WA) variety is shorter, reaching a maximum of 75 cm and not as vigorous (Humphrys 1974). Curiously, seed- Introductions of buffel grass were primarily aimed at im- lings of the WA variety have lower drought tolerance, but proving stockfeed, stabilising soil and revegetating bare flowers much more quickly following rains, and is hence and eroded areas (Bryant 1962; Humphrys 1974). The able to survive and spread after rare rainfall events. The effectiveness of buffel grass at stabilising soils is due to WA variety was originally introduced from the Middle the ready germination, rapid propagation and easy estab- East, and has possibly since become further adapted to lishment, even on bare or infertile soils (Bryant 1962). arid Australian conditions. Buffel grass is resistant to drought, fire and heavy graz- ing, so it is dominant and very persistent at a site once In higher rainfall areas of Queensland, buffel grass does established making it useful as an arid zone pasture grass not spread rapidly, if at all, and usually requires cultiva- (Bryant 1962; Hodgkinson et al. 1989). These character- tion to establish a population (Hacker and Ratcliff 1989). istics are attributed to the robust root system and swollen In the more arid conditions in central and western Aus- stem bases, which accumulate carbohydrate reserves, so tralia, however, buffel grass (WA variety) is much more that loss of leaf lamina during drought or after fire is not invasive. Its resistance to fire, drought and grazing make fatal to the plant. Regrowth may then be rapid in favour- it extremely persistent, and its rapid growth and flowering able conditions (Humphrys 1974). allow it to dominate over native vegetation in some areas Pages 92-101 In Veitch, C. R. and Clout, M. N. (eds.). Turning the tide: the eradication of invasive species. IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. Dixon et al.: Eradication of buffel grass on Airlie Island (Humphries et al. 1991). The major mechanisms of dis- and by 1993 had spread over 2.2 ha (WMC 1993). By the persal are wind, flood, fire (Griffin 1993) and possibly year 2000 it covered an estimated area of 8 ha. domestic stock. Seed is also easily spread by humans as they readily adhere to trousers and socks, thus it is very The initial spread of buffel was relatively slow, however important to make sure seeds are removed from clothing disturbance events appear to have enhanced its invasive after visiting a buffel grass area. The spiked seed-bearing capacity. The proposed decommissioning of the Airlie involucre also increases spread by attaching to animals. Island installation presents another disturbance event which Vehicle wind-assisted spread along roads is also evident could allow buffel infestation to further increase. in Uluru National Park (Griffin 1993). Buffel grass was not reported as spreading until the 1970s, when high rain- On Airlie Island the presence of buffel grass threatens the fall and floods lead to rapid colonisation along creeklines natural plant communities by replacing, almost entirely, and alluvial flats (Griffin 1993). the understorey cover of indigenous grasses and herbs. Buffel grass has already become a dominant plant species The biology of buffel grass allows populations to be self- on the island and other islands along the Pilbara coast. maintaining, and encourages rapid spread in favourable This environmental weed substantially increases the fire conditions. As a result, buffel grass (WA variety) is an risk which may impact upon the habitat of local fauna and aggressive coloniser of native habitats, especially moist may cause significant and permanent changes in vegeta- environments, where it forms dense monocultures, exclud- tion structure and diversity. ing other species (Humphries et al. 1991). Buffel grass also alters fire regimes by increasing fire frequency and At the start of spraying in 1999, buffel grass formed a near intensity, and while buffel survives, native species are sup- monospecific stand over eight hectares (33%) of the is- pressed or replaced (Griffin 1993; Humphries et al. 1991). land. This weed may release allelopathic chemicals (Choo 1984) into the soil that inhibit growth of other species, The success of buffel grass raises serious concerns for the potentially acting as a key displacement agent for most of welfare of plant and animal species that are restricted to the native vegetation. Buffel grass may also be detrimen- moist sites throughout the arid zone (Humphries et al. tal to the island’s fauna, especially the breeding cycle of 1991). These habitats are critical refugia for survival of shearwaters and the survival of herpetofauna. numerous plants and animals (Griffin 1993; Humphries et al. 1991; ANCA 1996). Urgent control methods are re- Options for controlling buffel grass quired in central Australia (Humphries et al. 1991), espe- cially in national parks and nature reserves. A number of options were canvassed at the outset of the study including biological control which was deemed in- Buffel grass has been reported as a weed or a serious in- appropriate because of potential adverse impact on the vader in Western Australia in the following reserves and pastoral industry throughout northern Australia. Fire was biologically significant areas: Cape Range National Park, ruled out as a control measure as buffel survives fire (Grif- western coastal plain of the Carnarvon-Exmouth area and fin 1993; Humphries 1991) and there is a complete fire Doole and Roberts Islands where it is potentially a threat. ban on the island due to the risk associated with the oil Numerous other islands in the Shark Bay - Exmouth area storage facilities as well as impacts on the indigenous flora are exposed to invasion by buffel grass (Department of and fauna. Although isolated plants on the island are pulled Environment, Sport and Territories 1996). up, physical removal is not usually appropriate due to the large number of plants and the difficulty of removal be- Buffel grass in Western Australia cause of their strong root system. Other problems are the cost, soil disturbance and possible wind erosion (blow out In 1910 the first deliberate introduction of buffel grass in from cyclonic wind).
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